Opinion: Dreamers Deserve a Chance

America is a nation founded by immigrants, yet today we are becoming a country which no longer accepts the huddled masses of the poor.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services recently removed part of its motto which said “a nation
of immigrants” without explanation. It’s not a surprising move after the Trump Administration pushed for $18
billion to build a strong border wall on the Mexican frontier, and to deport more illegal immigrants.

Many of which were documented until the removal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

Andrew R Arthur, a representative of the Center for Immigration Studies said, “That the ‘son of an immigrant’ is the director of USCIS should be unexceptional to those who understand that this is a ‘nation of immigrants.’ Logically, a circumstance under which the ‘son of an immigrant’ is director of the agency charged with adjudicating the vast majority of immigration benefits of the United States just reinforces the fact that we are ‘a nation of immigrants,’ doesn’t it?”

I believe it does.

How ironic is it that we learn the history of pilgrims, European settlers,and imperialists such as Christopher Columbus: but today we are closing our doors to people who want the same opportunities as their predecessors.

It’s quite clear President Trump has a bias towards white immigrants. According to CNN, “Trump began to ask why we want people from Haiti and more Africans in the US and added the US should get more people from countries like Norway.”

He’s left thousands of people from Salvador, Haiti, and other impoverished, or as he said, “shithole” countries to fend for themselves.

The Pew Research Center found, “current DACA recipients come from around the world, but more than nine-in-ten were born in Latin America.” Almost 80 percent of which are Mexican.

Of all those affected by the administration’s contempt of immigrants, those whose place in America should go unquestioned, are the DACA recipients.

The almost 700,000 children brought to the United States who kept their end of the deal to stay in school or work, and keep out of trouble, have been left in an undecided mess.

After the DACA case was not heard in the Supreme Court CNN reported, “A federal judge in California ruled Monday that the government can’t revoke DACA recipients’ work permits or other protections without giving them notice and a chance to defend themselves.”

Part of DACA’s previous conditions was that recipients work or go to school.

Within these conditions, there are people who argue DACA recipients take positions in schools and work re-
served for ‘real Americans,’ which is why some push for a border wall.

However, National Public Radio wrote in a ‘Fact Check’ article that DACA recipients are not taking jobs.

“On a large scale or in the long run, there is no reason to think DACA recipients have a major deleterious effect on American workers’ employment chances. What’s more,some economists believe DACA is actually a boost to the economy,” NPR said.

They paid for their college legally, and worked here legally to help build not only their lives, but also
the American economy.

We can argue about the ethics surrounding illegal immigration, but I’m sure no matter what political affiliation
you belong to we can agree: Children also have little choice in what happens in their lives, especially children from
underdeveloped countries.

Dreamers have lived in the United States for the required time to be citizens, and most have lived here since they were infants, yet we’re going to allow them to face deportation? America is all they know.
After six months of failed legislation to keep or remove DACA, Dreamers are still waiting to see if their lives will
suddenly be taken away due to the lack of diligence in congress.

We need to call, fax, or text our senators. Text 50409 to ask them to create a clean Dream Act so these Americans
don’t lose everything they’ve worked for. We can also share or donate to fundraisers to help those facing deportation raise money for lawyers.

I believe in Dreamers who want to stay in this country because they are Americans.